Improved mode of suspending cars upon springs



A BRIDGES.

Car Truck.

No. 55,457. Y Patented June 12, 1866.

T ll $5 Winesse 112M970? Q Ni PETERS. PHOTO-LITROGFAPHER. WASHINGTON. 0 C4 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED BRIDGES, OF NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVED MODE OF SUSPENDING CARS UP ON SPRINGS.

Specification forming To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED Bnrnens, of Newton, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful-Improvements in the Mode of Suspending Carriages upon Springs, applicable more particularly to railroad-ears; and I hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof.

This invention is based on a plan described in Letters Patent issued to me, dated the 20th day of September, 1864, for the suspension of the car upon springs so that it is free to swing in all directions.

I will first describe what I consider the best means of carrying out my present improvement, and will afterward designate the points therein which I believe to be new.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a side elevation, showing a wheel and axle and a portion of the car which is supported thereby. It represents very clearly the axle-box, the springs, and the means of supporting the weight and controlling the mo tion. Figs. 2 and 3 are views which represent some of the details on a larger scale. The views are at right angles to each other. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section on the line S S, with the central parts removed.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

The drawings represent the novel parts, with somuch of the other parts as seems necessary to indicate their relation thereto.

A is a portion of the body of a car adapted torun on what are known as the street-railways. B is one of the wheels, I) the corre sponding axle, and O the axle-box. The box 0 may be adapted to contain a large quantity of oil, and provided with means for supporting cotton-waste or other material for supplying the oil to the axle according to any of the approved plans.

0 O are broad shelves cast on the box 0, and adapted to receive cylindrical rubber springs D"D through which the weight of the car is transmitted to the box 0, and thus supported with the proper elastic action on the axle b.

E is a horizontal plate provided with guides c c, fixed; at right angles thereto, and which part of Letters Patent No. 55,457, dated June 12, 1866.

extend down through corresponding holes cored or otherwise produced in the box O. The parts E c are rigidly secured together, so as to serve as a single piece, supported at each end on the springs D 1). There is a circular lip on the under side of the plate E at each end to iuclose the upper ends of the springs D D, and a similar one on the upper side of each shelf 0 These lips at the top and bottom prevent the springs from being displaced.

G G are rods of wrought-iron or steel. Each is of sufficient strength to support the weight and so slender as to swing loosely in the hole which is provided, as usual, in each of the rubber springs D D These bolts are introduced from below through holes in the stout bow piece or bar H, which latter receives the weight of the car through the iron jaws or frame-work I bolted to the car, as represented. The upper ends of the bolts G G are slotted and receive keys g 1 as represented.

The holes in the shelves 0 O are larger than the corresponding holes in the bar E or the corresponding holes in the bar H, the purpose being to allow the car to swing horizontally in any direction to a limited extent. The car in swinging, of course, carries with it the jaws I and the bar H, which is rigidly connected thereto, without a contact of the swinging bolts G G with the shelves G 0 The weight is supported evenly wheels through the medium of the springs D D and is free to swing, while the wheels and axle, also the box G and the bar E and other connections, remain stationary.

The vertical motion of the car, due to the yielding of the springs D D in traveling over inequalities of the road, is allowed by the sliding of the guide-bars c c in the corresponding holes in the box 0, as above described. The parts 0 c serve simply as guides. There is very little strain thrown either on them or on the plate E, on which they are fixed.

The stout bar H is let into the jaws I by the flanges h, pressing upward with its ends against the stop It to sustain the weight, and being supported laterally sufficiently to obtain security against all horizontal strains.

The screws J J are useful mainly in support ing the weight of the parts in putting the parts together, or in case of very violent jolting or on the of running off the track or other accident. There is no strain on the screws J J, or other i'astenings which may be introduced in their place, under ordinary circumstances.

I esteem it important to lock the jaw or jaws I I within or around the bar H by the flanges h, or their equivalents, so as to resist the horizontal strains thrown thereon, independently of the support derived from the bolts J J.

The guides c 0 may, if preferred, extend down on each side of the box 0, instead of through holes in the box 0. .It is simply necessary to provide that they shall serve as guides, so as to allow the box to move vertically, but not laterally, relatively to the part E.

Some of the advantages due to certain features of my invention may be separately enumerated as follows: First, by reason of the fact that the horizontal plate E, rods or guides c e, springs D D and suspension-rods G G are combined and arranged as represented, I am able to suspend the weight of the car upon springs of an approvedform and allow ahorizontal motion of the car in all directions by swinging on the rods G G while the guides c c, by sliding vertically in the holes provided in the box 0, relieve the springs D D from all horizontal strain, and leave them subject only to the proper and true vertical strain which they are best adapted to resist; second, by reason of the fact that the weight is supported by the bolts G G2 through the medium of the stout bar H, which is distinct from the jaw I, and is capable of easy separation therefrom, I am able to disconnect the bar H by releasing the bolts J J, and to obtain access to the box 0 and the springs, 850., for repairing or exchanging any of the pieces with very little labor and with ordinary tools and appliances; third, by reason of the fact that the supporting-bar E receives the weight of the car at each end through the jaws or frame I, and is locked or inclosed by the flanges h, or their equivalent, so as to resist horizontal strains in every direction, I am enabled to very efficiently defend against all strains to which the parts are subject with the very slight fastenings J J, and thus to diminish the cost and weight and increase the safety of the structure; fourth, by reason of the fact that the shelves 0 C are arranged to swing near, but not in contact with, the upright'portions h of the fixed framing, I am able to insure that the car is free to swing to the moderate extent allowable by the separation of these parts, but it is restrained from springing beyond the extent necessary to bring these parts into contact. This is especially important in the act of suddenly stopping or starting the earv and in receiving the severe strains due to a powerful application of the brakes. There is no objection to allowing a lateral play to any extent. The guard afforded by this feature serves very reliably to resist the more severe strains forward and backward.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. The guide-pieces e 0, combined and arranged relatively to the supporting-bar E, box (3, axle b, springs D D, and suspension-rods G G or their respective equivalents, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

2. The jaw or frame I, bar H, suspensionrods G G supporting-bar E, springs D D and axle-box O, or their respective equivalents, combined substantially in the manner and for the purposes herein set forth.

3. The method of locking the jaw or frame I upon the removable bar H by flanges h, or their equivalents, so as to resist horizontal strains without throwing such strains on the bolts J J, or their equivalents, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

4. The arrangement of the shelves 0 G which support the springs D D so as to swing near, but not in contact with, the upright inner faces, h, of theinclosing-frame, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

ALFRED BRIDGES. W'itnesses:

CHARLES BEMIS, A. B. ROGERS. 

